INTENSIFIED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 221, 17 September 1940, Page 3

INTENSIFIED.

HOUSING DEMAND. POSITION AT AUCKLAND. "The building of State houses is intensifying the demand, not lessening it," said the Minister of Housing, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, this morning. "When I was last here I said that Auckland was jrcttinir nearly one-third of the total number of houses being constructed. To-dav Auckland is getting well over a third of the aggregate. This is not because I want tlie Auckland applicants to be treated more favourably than those elsewhere. The reason for the large building programme in Auckland is that this city has the men and tho material for carrying <>ut the job." The Minister said that throughout the Dominion 11,343 houses had either been completed or were under construction, the number occupied being 8142. r l he number of houses advertised for construction contracts was 12.480. The cities and towns affected numbered 128 and there were 5297 men employed on the various jobs. "In and around Auckland the Department has advertised for contracts for a total of 4417 houses, while contracts have actually been let for 4307 houses, said Mr. Armstrong. "The number of houses at present under construction is 1300. The total number of houses now in occupation 111 Auckland is 3000. lhe Department has at present in hand at Orakei a total of 485 sections for additional houses, and the necessary work of preparation of sites and the provision of roads and footpaths and other sei - vices is well in hand. Remuera and Mount Roskill. "At Rstnuera the Department has a block of land sufficient for 47 house units and as the preparatory work on this block is also well in hand, it is anticipated tenders will be called for in the next few months. At Mount Roskill the work of developing and the preparation of a large area of land is proceeding satisfactorily. It is expected that the Department will l>e ready to call for tenders for additional houses here in the near future. "The necessary preparatory work has also been undertaken for the construction of a large block of flats at Symends Street, and also for blocks at Ponsonby and Mount Eden."